BLOG

Gophers Meet the Media: Denver

The Gophers men's hockey team met with the media Wednesday
afternoon ahead of their last series at Mariucci Arena of the regular season.
Minnesota enters the weekend two points behind St. Cloud State for the top spot
in the WCHA with four games to go.

This weeks opponent, the Denver Pioneers, will be just as
hungry as the Gophers. Denver sits in a tie for the final home-ice position for
the WCHA playoffs. The Pioneers have given the Gophers fits over the years,
including last season's sweep at Magness Arena.

"We have had our issues scoring
goals. They are always good defensively, so we have to do a better job of
getting second-chance opportunities and do a better job of getting traffic in
front of the goaltender," head coach Don Lucia said.

Saturday is Senior Night at Mariucci Arena. Seth Helgeson is
the lone senior on this year's team, meaning he will be the only player out on
the ice for the pregame ceremony, "It is going to be odd, but the flower budget
is going to be down and it probably will only take 30 seconds, so it will not
be a distraction to the guys," Helgeson said.

Helgeson reflected on his four years playing for Minnesota,
"I wish I could be here another four years. It is nice being here for all four
years. I have had a great group of guys the last four years. It has been
awesome."

Helgeson is a steady player for the Maroon & Gold. His
numbers are not flashy, but his physical presence on the ice and character off
the ice is not missed by coaches and teammates. Here is a sampling of what they
had to say about Helgeson.

Coach Lucia
--"Seth has done a good job. He is great with community service, he does well
in school, and he is a guy who is an anchor (on the blue line.) When you do not
notice him, he is at his best."

Nate Schmidt -
"Seth is a staple on our team. Off the rink, he is a great guy and teammate. Definitely
a guy full of character. When he gets to the rink, he is all business. He is
one of those rare guys that can flip a switch and be totally dialed in around
the rink, which is really helpful for our young defensemen."

Ben Marshall -- "I
have been his (defensive) partner this whole year. He is really stable. He lets
me do anything out there on the ice. I like to be offensive, and he understands
that. When I mess up, he is always back there to help out."